Excellent article in The Times by Charlotte Duncker this morning about our comings and goings this summer.
Unfortunately it is behind a pay wall, can someone techie sort it out?
Here you go
While most club’s accountants are sitting counting the pennies to work out where and how they can strengthen this summer, this week Aston Villa were busy confirming their eighth signing.
Amadou Onana, who has signed from Everton for £50million, was confirmed as the biggest arrival of what so far has been a busy window for Unai Emery’s side. That may come as a surprise to some who predicted a quiet summer due to their most recent published accounts, which showed a £119.6million loss for the 2022-2023 financial year.
Villa’s window began with a flurry of activity before the end-of-year accounting deadline of June 30. Four players left, more than £76million was raised and only two players, Ian Maatsen from Chelsea (costing £37.8million) and Lewis Dobbin from Everton (costing £10million) came in.
But this was no scattergun approach to recoup much needed funds. It was all part of a carefully constructed plan from the Villa hierarchy as they look to give Emery what he has determined he needs to navigate Villa’s Champions League pursuits while continuing to build on their Premier League progress, but also ensuring that their finances are balanced with the club not at risk of any breaches or sanctions.
It meant their business, to begin with, was focused on sales and innovative solutions, such as using academy players as assets and taking advantage of player trading with clubs. First, to the most important piece of business they have done so far this summer: Douglas Luiz to Juventus.
In a dream world, he would have stayed. He was the linchpin for Villa and played some of his best football under Emery, but something had to give to aid their Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR) status. Various options were discussed with Juventus, which is why, despite it being clear for a while he would go there, it took time to get the deal over the line.
Instead of a player-plus-cash deal it was believed the best resolution for all parties would be for the Serie A giants to pay £42.35million for the Brazilian, with Villa paying a combined £18.7million for the Chelsea academy graduate Samuel Iling-Junior and the 23-year-old midfielder Enzo Barrenechea.
Both those new additions were announced in July, after the accounting deadline, and their fees can be amortised over the length of their deals.
And Villa aren’t done with outgoings either. Moussa Diaby last night completed his move to Saudi side Al-Ittihad in a £50.4million deal only a year after arriving at the club for what was then a record £51million fee. After setting the league alight in his first few games he plateaued yet Villa have managed to recoup nearly all of the money they paid for the France midfielder.
Which brings us to incomings. With Diaby on the verge of departure and Luiz already gone, it meant Villa have had to strengthen in the middle of the pitch. Ross Barkley arrived for £5million after impressing at Luton Town last season and is viewed as an experienced addition to the squad as they embark on their first season in the Champions League, while Barrenechea, who is largely inexperienced in Europe, is an exciting young talent that Emery could mould to his methods.
But it is the club-record signing of Onana, who has arrived on a five-year deal, who should have the biggest impact in midfield, bringing much needed Champions League experience to a relatively inexperienced European squad.
While Onana broke the bank, a couple of other savvy deals have enabled Villa to bring two exciting attackers back to the club.
Cameron Archer has returned in another clever bit of business from Villa after his loan move to Sheffield United last season. Sheffield United paid £18million for the forward but there was a clause in his contract meaning he would return if they were relegated and Villa earned £3million, in effect a loan fee, for his spell there last season.
Then there is Jaden Philogene, who also left the club last summer. Emery had been pleased with the winger in pre-season last year but he left for Hull City and a guarantee of regular first-team football. Villa matched Ipswich Town’s £18million offer for the England Under-21 international but had to pay Hull only £13.5million due to a sell-on clause Villa had inserted into the initial contract.
Emery and his new-look squad flew to the United States on Wednesday to begin their pre-season tour, with three games planned against Columbus Crew, RB Leipzig and Club America. And while the Spaniard is focused on his meticulous preparations for the new campaign, his team, led by the president of football operations, Monchi, and Damian Vidagany, director of football operations, are busy working on who will be next through the door.
With Villa planning for the start of one of their biggest seasons in recent history, more additions are on the horizon, with strength in depth and European experience both key. João Félix, of Atletico Madrid, has long been admired by Emery and Villa inquired about him last season. The Portugal forward would not come cheap, but Villa are keen to get a deal over the line if at all possible.
Despite their financial restraints, it could turn out to be one of their busiest windows as they prepare for their maiden Champions League voyage. Whatever happens next it will be a carefully balanced, well-planned strategy, with the aim of taking Villa to the next level.
